By Baron Ike
The traffic madness in Apapa area of Lagos may soon be a forgotten issue going by a Presidential directive issued for the immediate clearing up of the Apapa gridlock and the restoration of law and order to Apapa and its environs within two weeks.
At an emergency meeting held over the menace called Apapa recently and called by President Muhammadu Buhari and chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, it was agreed that the lost glory of Apapa must be restored immediately.
Apart from Buhari and Osinbajo, others present at the meeting were key heads and representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, including the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; representative of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral B.E.E Ibe-Enwo; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Salaam Taiwo Olufemi; and the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Sokonte Davies, among others.
The meeting was said to have proffered lasting solutions to the gridlock around the Lagos Ports, where the traffic congestion has continued to restrict all operations and livelihood in the area.
The directive mandates the immediate removal of all trucks from the bridges and roads within Apapa and all adjoining streets leading into the Apapa axis. To facilitate this important assignment, operators of trucks and tankers have also been directed to vacate the Port Access Roads within the next 72 hours.
The Nigerian Navy and all other military formations have also been mandated to withdraw from traffic management duties in and around the Apapa axis, while military and paramilitary checkpoints in front of the ports and environs are to be dismantled.
In addition, LASTMA has been authorised to move into Apapa as the lead traffic management agency, while the NPA is to commence the immediate use of the Lilypond Terminal and Trailer Park A as a truck transit park.
The directive further mandates compliance by all security personnel and MDAs, while heads of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, and all other security operatives are to ensure their officers’ adherence to the new directives.